Sure! Here is a general outline for an 18 tons per hour (18tph) alluvial gold and diamond mining process:
1. Site Preparation
- Surveying and Mapping: Conduct a detailed geological survey to locate alluvial deposits.
- Clearing: Clear the vegetation and topsoil in the mining area carefully, preserving any areas of ecological importance.
2. Excavation and Material Transport
- Excavators: Use heavy machinery like excavators to dig and collect the alluvial material.
- Transport: Transport the excavated material to the processing plant, typically using conveyors or dump trucks.
3. Screening and Washing
- Trommel Screen: Use a trommel screen to separate larger rocks and debris from smaller particles containing gold and diamonds.
- Water Source: Ensure a reliable water source for washing and separating material.
4. Gravity Separation
- Jig Concentrator: For diamond separation, use jig concentrators that can separate material based on density.
- Shaking Tables: Utilize shaking tables to further concentrate gold by separating heavy gold particles from the lighter sand.
5. Final Recovery
- Hand Sorting: For diamonds, after jigging, hand-sorting or optical sorting systems can be employed to pick out diamonds from concentrate.
- Amalgamation/Centrifuge: For gold, the concentrate from the shaking tables can be further processed using a centrifuge or amalgamation to recover fine gold particles.
6. Waste Management
- Tailings Storage: Develop a proper tailings storage facility to manage waste material and prevent environmental contamination.
- Rehabilitation: Plan for site rehabilitation post-mining, including re-soiling and re-vegetation of the mined area.
7. Safety and Compliance
- Health and Safety: Implement robust health and safety protocols to ensure the protection of workers.
- Legal Compliance: Ensure all mining activities comply with local, regional, and international mining laws and regulations.
8. Continuous Monitoring and Optimization
- Efficiency Monitoring: Regularly monitor the efficiency of each stage of the process and make adjustments as necessary.
- Technological Updates: Stay updated with new technologies that might improve recovery rates and reduce operational costs.
Example Equipment List:
- Excavators
- Conveyors/Dump trucks
- Trommel Screen
- Jig Concentrators
- Shaking Tables
- Centrifuge
- Hand Sorting Equipment
By following these steps and utilizing the appropriate equipment, you can establish an efficient 18tph alluvial gold and diamond mining operation.
